Samantha Eggar

Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar (5 March 1939 – 15 October 2025) was an English actress. After beginning her career in Shakespearean theatre she rose to fame for her performance in William Wyler's thriller The Collector (1965), which earned her a Golden Globe Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Eggar later appeared as Emma Fairfax in Doctor Dolittle (1967) and the American drama The Molly Maguires (1970). In the early 1970s Eggar moved to the United States and Canada, where she later starred in several horror films, including The Dead Are Alive (1972), The Uncanny (1977) and David Cronenberg's cult thriller The Brood (1979).<ref name=Vagg>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Eggar also worked as a voice actress, as Hera in Disney's Hercules (1997) and in several video games, including Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned and James Bond 007: Nightfire. Her television work included roles on Fantasy Island and a recurring part as Charlotte Devane in the soap opera All My Children in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

Samantha Eggar was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese EggarTemplate:Sfn<ref name=gg>Template:Cite web</ref> on 5 March 1939,<ref name=Evans>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in Hampstead, London, to Ralph Alfred James Eggar, a brigadier in the British Army, and Muriel Olga Palache-Boumam, who was of Dutch and Portuguese descent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Evening>Template:Cite news</ref> Eggar also had Irish ancestry through her grandmother.<ref name=Evening /> Soon after her birth, her family moved to rural Bledlow, Buckinghamshire, during World War II, where she spent her childhood.Template:Sfn

Eggar was brought up as a Roman Catholic and educated at St Mary's Providence Convent in Woking, Surrey. Reflecting on her time at convent school, Eggar said: "The nuns didn't have too much success with me — I've always had a violent temper. In fact, once I almost killed one of the nuns."<ref name=gg /> At age 16 she began to go by the name Samantha.Template:Sfn Although Eggar expressed interest in acting at a young age, she was urged against a career in the theatre by her parents. She was offered a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but instead studied fashion for two years at the Thanet School of Art.<ref name=gg /> After completing her studies she enrolled at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Template:Sfn

Career

Theatre and early work

File:Samantha Eggar.jpg

Eggar in 1964

Eggar began her acting career in several Shakespearean companies, notably playing Titania in a 1962 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Tony Richardson.Template:Sfn She also appeared on stage in a production of Douglas Seale's Landscape with Figures, where she was noticed by a talent scout. From there she was cast in the biographical film Dr. Crippen (1962) opposite Donald Pleasence.Template:Sfn Her second film role was in 1962 in The Wild and the Willing;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> in the same year she appeared on stage again as Olivia in a production of Twelfth Night by George Devine.Template:Sfn

In 1963, Eggar played the lead role of Claire Avery in "Marcia", a second-season episode of The Saint. After her appearance in The Saint, Eggar did not make a guest appearance on television for 10 years.<ref name="Zebra">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="archivetv">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1965, Eggar appeared in the thriller The Collector, directed by William Wyler, playing a kidnap victim.<ref name=McGregor>Template:Cite news</ref> Of her time working on the set of the film "Ms. Eggar told The Daily Mirror in 1965 that working on the set ... was 'the hardest three months of my life;" she noted that during the shoot she lost about 14 pounds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe award for her performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was also awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 1966.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The following year Eggar starred in the comedy Walk, Don't Run (1966) with Cary Grant (his last motion picture) and Jim Hutton,<ref name="Telegraph" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> followed by a lead role as Emma Fairfax in Richard Fleischer's musical adaptation of Doctor Dolittle (1967).<ref name="Telegraph" /> She was linked with roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and Goodbye Mr Chips but did not appear in either.<ref name=Vagg /> She also appeared in The Walking Stick, a psychological thriller by Eric Till where she costarred with David Hemmings, The Molly Maguires (1970), a social drama directed by Martin Ritt in which she starred with Sean Connery and Richard Harris,<ref name=KoselukBarnes /> and The Light at the Edge of the World (1971),<ref name="extra" /> an adventure movie from a novel by Jules Verne in which she shared the screen with Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner.<ref name=Vagg />

Eggar also played the main character in The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (1970), a thriller based on a book by French novelist Sébastien Japrisot and the last film directed by Anatole Litvak.<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan /> She then went to Italy to shoot The Dead Are Alive (1972), a giallo directed by Armando Crispino.<ref name=Andaloro /> Although Eggar co-starred with Yul Brynner in the television series Anna and the King (1972), she did not make another television guest appearance until 1973, when she starred in an episode of the romantic anthology series Love Story.<ref name=Andaloro /> That same year she played Phyllis Dietrichson in a TV remake of the 1944 film Double Indemnity.Template:Sfn

Move to United States

In 1973, Eggar moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, and appeared first in television, guest-starring in episodes of Starsky & Hutch, Hart to Hart and Columbo.<ref name="Telegraph" /> She would go on to star in a number of horror films, including A Name for Evil (1973)<ref name=Dagan /> and Demonoid (1981).<ref name="Telegraph" />

During this period, Eggar also appeared in two British-Canadian co-productions, Welcome to Blood City, an early "virtual-reality" thriller directed by Peter Sasdy in which she plays opposite Jack Palance and Keir Dullea,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and The Uncanny, a horror movie directed by Denis Héroux.<ref name=Andaloro />

Eggar was also in the Canadian movie Why Shoot the Teacher?, a dramatic comedy filmed in Alberta by Silvio Narizzano that went on to be the most successful Canadian movie that year. But it is another Canadian movie that was to become one of Samantha's best known films, David Cronenberg's cult sci-fi film The Brood (1979).<ref name=Vagg />

In 1980, she filmed the Canadian slasher film Curtains, released in 1983.Template:Sfn

She also appeared as Maggie Gioberti in "The Vintage Years", the pilot for the drama Falcon Crest, but was replaced by Susan Sullivan when the series went into production.<ref name=gg /> She appeared twice on The Love Boat in 1979 and 1981.<ref name="extra" /> She appeared in the drama Dark Horse (1992), followed by the superhero film The Phantom (1996). In 1997, she provided the voice of Hera in Disney's animated film Hercules; she also supplied the voice for the subsequent television series.<ref name=Dagan /> Eggar also had a role in the sci-fi thriller The Astronaut's Wife (1999), which starred Johnny Depp.<ref name=KoselukBarnes />

Eggar appeared as the wife of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and as Sarah Templeton, the wife of Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland), on the short-lived television series Commander in Chief, which starred Geena Davis.<ref name=Dagan /> In the year 2000, she had a brief run as Charlotte Devane in the American soap opera All My Children.<ref name=Andaloro /> In 2004, she appeared in the first season of Cold Case, episode 14 ("The Boy in the Box") as Sister Vivian.<ref name="extra">Template:Cite web</ref>In 2009, she played the mother of Jack and Becky Gallagher in season 1, episode 11 ("Lines in the Sand") of the Fox television series Mental.<ref name="Telegraph">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life and death

In 1964, she married actor Tom Stern and the couple had two children: film producer Nicolas Stern and actress Jenna Stern.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Eggar and Stern divorced in 1971.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In the early 1970s, Eggar had an affair with her The Walking Stick co-star David Hemmings.<ref name=telegraph>Template:Cite news</ref>

Eggar held dual British and American citizenship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She resided in Los Angeles,<ref name=tt /> where she died at her home in Sherman Oaks, on 15 October 2025 from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, at the age of 86.<ref name=Dagan>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=Andaloro>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=KoselukBarnes>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=NYTobit>Template:Cite web</ref> According to her daughter, Eggar had been diagnosed with this illness 22 years earlier.<ref name=NYTobit />

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Director(s)	Notes	Ref.
1962	The Wild and the Willing	Josie	Ralph Thomas	Romantic drama film Also known as Young and Willing	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	Dr. Crippen	Ethel Le Neve	Robert Lynn	Biographical film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1963	Doctor in Distress	Delia Mallory	Ralph Thomas	Comedy film	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Andaloro /> <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1964	Psyche 59	Robin	Alexander Singer	Drama film	<ref name=Dagan /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1965	Return from the Ashes	Fabienne 'Fabi' Wolf	J. Lee Thompson	Thriller film	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan /> <ref name=Andaloro />
	The Collector	Miranda Grey	William Wyler	Psychological horror film Also known as The Butterfly Collector Based on the 1963 novel of the same name by John Fowles	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=McGregor /> <ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan /> <ref name=Andaloro /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1966	Walk, Don't Run	Christine Easton	Charles Walters	Romantic comedy film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro />
1967	Doctor Dolittle	Emma Fairfax	Richard Fleischer	Musical fantasy film Based on The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro /> <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1970	The Molly Maguires	Miss Mary Raines	Martin Ritt	Historical drama film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro />
	The Walking Stick	Deborah Dainton	Eric Till	Crime drama film Based on 1967 novel of the same name by Winston Graham The first use of the tune Cavatina in a feature film	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan /> <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
	The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun	Danielle "Dany" Lang	Anatole Litvak	Psychological thriller film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1971	The Light at the Edge of the World	Arabella	Kevin Billington	Adventure film Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Jules Verne	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1972	The Dead Are Alive	Myra Shelton	Armando Crispino	Giallo film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Andaloro />
1973	A Name for Evil	Joanna Blake	Bernard Girard	Horror film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro />
1976	The Seven-Per-Cent Solution	Mary Morstan Watson	Herbert Ross	Mystery film Based on novel of the same name by Nicholas Meyer	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan /> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1977	The Uncanny	Edina Hamilton	Denis Héroux	Anthology horror film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Andaloro />
	Welcome to Blood City	Katherine	Peter Sasdy	Science fiction Western film	<ref name=Vagg>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	Why Shoot the Teacher?	Alice Field	Silvio Narizzano	Comedy-drama film	Template:Sfn
1978	The Greatest Battle	Annelise Ackermann	Umberto Lenzi	Euro War film Template:Langx	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1979	The Brood	Nola Carveth	David Cronenberg	Psychological body horror film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan />
1980	The Exterminator	Dr. Megan Stewart	James Glickenhaus	Vigilante action film	<ref name=Vagg /><ref name=Dagan /> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1981	The Hot Touch	Samantha O'Brien	Roger Vadim	Crime-comedy film	<ref name=Vagg />
	Demonoid	Jennifer Baines	Alfredo Zacarías	Supernatural horror film Also known as Macabra: La mano del diablo	Template:Sfn
1983	Curtains	Samantha Sherwood	Richard Ciupka Peter R. Simpson	Slasher film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=Dagan />
1991	Ragin' Cajun	Dr. May	William Byron Hillman	Action film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Andaloro />
1992	Dark Horse	Mrs. Curtis	David Hemmings	Drama film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Andaloro />
	Round Numbers	Anne	Nancy Zala	Comedy film	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1993	The Magic Voyage	Isabella I of Castile (voice)	Michael Schoemann	Animated musical fantasy film Template:Langx	<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1994	Inevitable Grace	Britt	Alex Monty Canawati	Drama film	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Andaloro />
1996	The Phantom	Lily Palmer	Simon Wincer	Superhero adventure film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Andaloro />
1997	Hercules	Hera (voice)	John Musker Ron Clements	Animated musical fantasy comedy film	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Dagan />
1999	The Astronaut's Wife	Dr. Patraba	Rand Ravich	Science fiction thriller film	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro />

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1961	Rob Roy	Diana Vernon	Recurring	<ref name=Andaloro />
1963	Ghost Squad	Mina	Episode: "Hot Money"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	The Saint	Claire Avery	Episode: "Marcia"	<ref name="Zebra" /><ref name="archivetv" />
1972	Anna and the King	Anna Leonowens	Series regular	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan /><ref name=Andaloro />
1973	Love Story	Ruth Wilson	Episode: "The Cardboard House"	<ref name=Andaloro />
	Double Indemnity	Phyllis Dietrichson	Made-for-TV movie directed by Jack Smight	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan />
	The Man of Destiny	The Strange Lady	Made-for-TV movie directed by Joseph Hardy
1974	All the Kind Strangers	Carol Ann	Made-for-TV movie directed by Burt Kennedy Also known as Evil in the Swamp	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1975	Lucas Tanner	Angela Bowman	Episode: "Shattered"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	The Legendary Curse of the Hope Diamond	Evalyn Walsh McLean	Made-for-TV movie directed by Delbert Mann	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1976	The Hemingway Play	Glynis	Made-for-TV movie directed by Don Taylor	<ref name="tvguide" />
	The Killer Who Wouldn't Die	Anne Roland	Made-for-TV movie directed by William Hale	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Baretta	Laurie Eckardt	Episode: "Look Back in Terror"	<ref name=Andaloro />
1977	Columbo	Vivian Brandt	Episode: "The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case"	<ref name="tvguide" /><ref name="Telegraph" />
	Starsky and Hutch	Charlotte	Episode: "Starsky and Hutch on Playboy Island"	<ref name="tvguide" /><ref name="Telegraph" />
	Family	Norah McKay	Episode: "Labours of Love"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1978	Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women	Billie Burke	Made-for-TV movie directed by Buzz Kulik	<ref name=Vagg />
	Hawaii Five-O	Agnes DuBois	Episode: "Horoscope for Murder"	<ref name=Dagan />
	Fantasy Island	Helena Marsh	Episode: "Return/The Toughest Man Alive"	<ref name=Dagan />
1979–1981	The Love Boat	Template:Plainlist	Episodes: Template:Plainlist	<ref name=Dagan />
1979	Fantasy Island	Helena Marsh	Episode: "The Wedding"	<ref name=Dagan />
1980	Hagen	Livia	Episode: "Pilot"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1981	Aloha Paradise	Template:CGuest	Episode: "The Kid Who Would Be a Daddy / Make Me a Match / Treasure Hunt"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Falcon Crest	Maggie Gioberti	Episode: "The Vintage Years"	<ref name=Dagan /><ref name="vintage">Template:Cite news</ref>
1982	Darkroom	Miss Alexis St. Clair	Episode: "Exit Lane"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1983	For the Term of his Natural Life	Julie Vickers	Miniseries directed by Rob Stewart	<ref name=Vagg />
	Hart to Hart	Gillian Rawlings	Episode: "Long Lost Love"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1984	Murder, She Wrote	Marta Quintessa	Episode "Hooray for Homicide"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Magnum, P.I.	Laura Bennett	Episode "Fragments"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1985	Finder of Lost Loves	Megan Brody	Episode: "Wayward Dreams"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Tales of the Unexpected	Gwen Carter	Episode "People Don't Do Such Things"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	George Burns Half-Hour Comedy Hour	Mrs. Cratchet	Episode: "Christmas Carol II: The Sequel"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Hotel	Elizabeth Oliver	Episode: "Cry Wolf"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1987	Outlaws	Sister Rachel	Episode: "Hymm"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Stingray	Camila	Episode "Echos"	<ref name="tvguide" />
	Love Among Thieves	Solange	Made-for-TV movie directed by Roger Young	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Lisa Talbot	Episode: "Deathmate"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1990	A Ghost in Monte Carlo	Jeanne	Miniseries	<ref name="tvguide" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
	Star Trek: The Next Generation	Marie Picard	Episode "Family"	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan />
1991–93	The Legend of Prince Valiant	Queen Guinevere	Voice; recurring	<ref name=Dagan /><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1993	L.A. Law	Camille Bancroft	Episode "Where There's a Will"	<ref name="tvguide" />
1996	Everything to Gain	Diana Keswick	Made-for-TV movie directed by Michael Miller	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1998–99	Hercules	Hera	Voice; 7 episodes	<ref name="tvguide" />
1998	Loss of Faith	Insp. Strong	Made-for-TV movie	<ref name="tvguide" />
2000	All My Children	Charlotte Devane	20 episodes	<ref name=KoselukBarnes /><ref name=Andaloro />
2005	Commander in Chief	Sara Templeton	Recurring	<ref name=Evans /><ref name=KoselukBarnes /> <ref name=Dagan />
2009	Mental	Margo Stroud	2 episodes	<ref name="tvguide">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2011	The Nine Lives of Chloe King	Olivia Rezza	Episode: "Beautiful Day"	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2012	Metalocalypse	Whale	(voice); 2 episodes; Final role	<ref name=Andaloro />

Stage credits

Year	Title	Role	Director	Venue	Notes	Ref.
1959	Landscape with Figures	Template:N/A	Douglas Seale	Olympia Theatre; Theatre Royal, Brighton; Grand, Wolverhampton		Template:Sfn
1962	A Midsummer Night's Dream	Titania	Tony Richardson	Royal Court Theatre		Template:Sfn
	Twelfth Night	Olivia	George Devine	Royal Court Theatre		Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1985	The Lonely Road	Irene Herms	Christopher Fettes	Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; Old Vic Theatre		Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	The Seagull	Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina	Charles Sturridge	Oxford Playhouse; Theatre Royal, Bath		Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
1992	Auntie Mame	Vera	Karin Baker	Candlewood Playhouse, New Fairfield, Connecticut		Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title of work	Result	Ref.
1965	Cannes Film Festival	Best Actress	The Collector	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Laurel Awards	New Faces, Female		4th place	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed
1966		Dramatic Performance, Female	The Collector	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
		Female Star		14th place	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress, Drama	The Collector	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Academy Awards	Best Actress		Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn Template:Sfn
	Sant Jordi Awards	Best Performance in a Foreign Film		Template:Won	Template:Sfn
1980	Genie Awards	Best Performance by a Foreign Actress	The Brood	Template:Nominated	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

References

Sources

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External links

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